Blankets and comforters, such as down comforters, provide an extra layer of comfort and warmth to those who choose to use them while sleeping. For example, a down comforter provides more warmth and comfort as compared to sleeping under only a top sheet of a sheet set applied to a bed. However, because of the bulk/size of comforters and blankets, they can be very difficult to properly clean. In order to diminish the need for direct cleaning and extend the life thereof, these blankets and comforters are often covered with (and/or inserted within) what is known as a duvet cover. The duvet cover protects the blanket or comforter while, at the same time, contributes an aesthetically appealing element to the bed when positioned atop the bed. When used in place of a top sheet, as many persons choose to do, the duvet cover is in regular contact with the human body and therefore should be cleaned on a regular basis. This cleaning necessitates removal of the duvet cover from the blanket or comforter.
One conventional version of a duvet cover 300 is shown in FIG. 10. The duvet cover 300 is defined by a top panel 302 of fabric material and a bottom panel 304 of fabric material which are generally permanently coupled together, such as by stitching, along a first portion 306 of the periphery thereof, and which define an opening 308 along a second portion 310 of the periphery thereof. This opening 308 may be permanently open, or in some embodiments, the opening 308 may be selectively closed by a connection mechanism such as the zipper 312 shown in FIG. 10. The filler 314, in the form of a blanket or comforter, is pushed through the opening 308 to be sandwiched between the top and bottom panels 302, 304, in a similar fashion as inserting a pillow into a pillowcase. However, unlike a pillow, the filler 314 is substantially large in size and capable of bunching up or folding over itself when being inserted into the duvet cover 300 through the opening 308. This can cause significant difficulties and delays when an operator tries to properly position the filler 314 within the duvet cover 300. Likewise, removing the large filler 314 from within the duvet cover 300 can also be difficult and time-consuming. Even when connection mechanisms such as the zipper 312 are provided to widen the opening 308, these difficulties still exist, and moreover, the zipper 312 is prone to defective operations as well.
These deficiencies are exacerbated in commercial contexts such as hotels and hospitals, where bedding materials can require washing every day, in some circumstances. Conventional duvet covers therefore do not find as significant of use as would be expected in places like hotels, as a result of complications resulting from the potential need to remove and replace a duvet cover on a plurality of beds every single day of operation. Accordingly, bedding options and decorative options that can be offered to guests and patients are reduced in these fields.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a new duvet cover or similar system which addresses these and other drawbacks of conventional designs of duvet covers like the one shown in FIG. 10.